The New DCU: The Next Generation of DC Writers

The new voices of DC Comics: Clockwise from top left: Nathan Edmondson, Jeff Lemire,
Kyle Higgins, Scott Snyder, Joshua Fialkov, Paul Cornell and Duane Swiercynski. 

Now that DC has announced all of their September relaunch titles, I thought this the perfect time to look not at the comic books, but the writers who seem poised to breathe some much needed fresh air into several beloved DC Comics’ properties. Some are relatively new to the game—while others are only new to DC—but these are the writers that I believe can help DC bring a more modern sensibility to the publisher’s line of books.

Paul Cornell (Demon Knights and Storm Watch). While Cornell has an extensive Marvel Comics resume, the Doctor Who scripter and novelist is still relatively new to DC Comics. But what an unexpected pleasure it has been to read his wonderful take on Lex Luthor over the past year in the pages of Action Comics. Cornell has such an infectious enthusiasm for the medium, I cannot wait to read what he has planned for his next two series this September.

Jeff Lemire and Travel Foreman tackle
Animal Man this September.

Nathan Edmondson (The Grifter). When Who is Jake Ellis? was released in January, I knew I was reading something special from an extremely gifted writer. Edmondson is as adept at writing an action piece as he is clever. And if you haven’t picked up Jake Ellis yet, you have been deprived of the most inventive and enthralling book released this year. I eagerly await Edmondson’s take on Grifter, one of Wildstorm’s oldest and most popular characters.

Joshua Fialkov (I, Vampire). The writer of the much-talked about dark father/son mini-series Echoes is bringing his unique vision to DC with a modern take on the 80’s series that originally spun out of the horror comic House of Mystery. Fialkov has written a handful of Marvel books, but has primarily maintained a foothold in the independent market. It will be interesting to see how dark Fialkov goes in this relaunch; there’s plenty of room for it in this tale of a vampire’s attempt to thwart a murderous demon from killing our favorite (or least so) heroes from the DCU.

Kyle Higgins (Deathstroke and Nightwing). Higgins has only begun to get his feet wet in the comics industry, but he has been doing so on some high profile books. For Marvel he’s currently working on the four-issue Supreme Power mini and he contributed the Cap/Union Jack team-up in the 70^th Anniversary issue of Captain America a few months back. Higgins also introduced the Batman, Inc. recruit Night Runner in his two-part inaugural appearance from this year’s Batman and Detective Comics Annuals. Higgins is also currently working on the Batman: Gates of Gotham mini-series with Detective Comics scribe Scott Snyder.

Jeff Lemire (Animal Man and Frankenstein and the Agents of S.H.A.D.E.). While Lemire didn’t get enough time to strut his stuff on his Eisner-nominated run on Superboy, there’s little doubt that the creator of Sweet Tooth deserves to helm another title for DC. Heck, he’s getting two. And perhaps it will be in writing more off-beat characters like Animal Man and Frankenstein that Lemire will get a better opportunity to stretch out and get comfortable.

Scott Snyder (Batman and Swamp Thing). Sometimes when a writer takes on a known property after a critically successful creator-owned debut, the results are not always satisfactory. However, Snyder followed up his brilliant American Vampire with an equally brilliant run on Detective Comics. After finding Dick Grayson’s voice so clearly in Detective, I am excited to read what the writer has planned when he gets his shot at Bruce Wayne. Snyder’s reign at DC is only beginning.

Duane Swiercynski (Birds of Prey). The author of several crime novels and non-fiction crime returns to comic book writing after spending a few years at Marvel on titles such as Cable and The Immortal Iron Fist. Swiercynski will take on the third volume of Birds of Prey which features Black Canary, but perhaps not the other members of the famous team of Gotham girls. I would expect that the author will bring his penchant for humor and fast-paced action to his work on the revamped Birds.